Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers preview, Monday 9/10, 7:05 CT

The weather forecast for tonight is perfect — temps in the 60s at game time, light winds, clear skies.

The Cubs, having spent the weekend in waterlogged Washington, will likely feel great about not having any weather worries. In fact, this entire week’s supposed to be beautiful in the Chicago area.

Notes:

• If you think weather has affected a lot of Cubs games this year, you’re right. as the team has now had nine postponements this year. That’s the most since they had 10 in 1975 (including two due to snow). (H/T: Ed Hartig)
• Beginning tonight, the Cubs will host each N.L. Central team one more time at Wrigley Field to account for all 13 home games remaining. The Cubs are 18-8 against divisional foes at home this season, a .692 winning percentage that exceeds their overall N.L. best home winning percentage.
• The Cubs have the most home games remaining (13) of any MLB team (tied with the Cardinals, Rays, Angels and Orioles). And 16 of the remaining 20 games will be played in the city of Chicago, 13 at Wrigley Field and three on the South Side vs. the White Sox.
• Jon Lester’s start today marks the 80th start by a Cubs southpaw this season, which is approaching the single-season club record. Only twice in franchise history have the Cubs had more than 80 games started by left-handed pitchers in a single season: 2007 (85 starts) and 1966 (89 starts). More on Lester below. (H/T: Ed Hartig)

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Brewers lineup:

Jon Lester, LHP vs. Wade Miley, LHP

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Jon Lester’s last four starts: 1.52 ERA, 1.225 WHIP, just four walks and one home run allowed in 23⅔ innings. That’s good! Jon had a rough patch after a good start, and in that good start his peripherals didn’t match the game results. Now those seem to have caught up, and he seems primed to have a good September... and October.

Jon has faced the Brewers only once this year, and it was a good outing: six shutout innings, three hits, one walk, six strikeouts on April 5 at Miller Park.

Another one just like that one, please.

Wade Miley has been very good in 12 starts this year since coming off the DL, and his last start, against the Cubs September 4 at Miller Park, was excellent: six innings, three hits, one run, five strikeouts. I’m looking for something that might be a weakness here, and I’m not really coming up with anything.

About the only thing I can find is that in three career starts at Wrigley Field, he has a 5.21 ERA. On the other hand, the last time he pitched there, July 30, 2016 when he was with the Mariners, he threw seven innings and allowed just one hit.

So this one won’t be easy. Hopefully, this is the game where Miley’s good season blows up.

Today’s game is on NBC Sports Chicago.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

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The 2018 Game Thread procedure will be the same as the one used during 2017. Here’s how it works.

You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads” so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). They will also appear in the game’s StoryStream as noted above.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.